ack to Placentia,
where he again fought Sempronius, who was returned from Rome. The loss on
both sides was very nearly equal.

Whilst Hannibal was in these winter quarters, he hit upon a true
Carthaginian stratagem.(757) He was surrounded with fickle and inconstant
nations: the friendship he had contracted with them was but of recent
date. He had reason to apprehend a change in their disposition, and,
consequently, that attempts would be made upon his life. To secure
himself, therefore, he got perukes made, and clothes suited to every age.
Of these he sometimes wore one, sometimes another; and disguised himself
so often, that not merely such as saw him only transiently, but even his
intimate acquaintance, could scarce know him.

(M121) At Rome, Cn. Servilius and C. Flaminius had been appointed
consuls.(758) Hannibal having advice that the latter was advanced already
as far as Arretium, a town of Tuscany, resolved to go and engage him as
soon as possible. Two ways being shown him, he chose the shortest, though
the most troublesome, nay, almost impassable, by reason of a fen which he
was forced to go through. Here the army suffered incredible hardships.
During four days and three nights they marched halfway up the leg in
water, and, consequently, could not get a moment's sleep. Hannibal
himself, who rode upon the only elephant he had left, could hardly get
through. His long want of sleep, and the thick vapours which exhaled from
that marshy place, together with the unhealthiness of the season, cost him
one of his eyes.

_Battle of Thrasymenus._(_759_)--Hannibal being thus got, almost
unexpectedly, out of this dangerous situation, and having refreshed his
troops, marched and pitched his camp between Arretium and Fesulae, in the
richest and most fruitful part of Tuscany. His first endeavours were, to
discover the disposition of Flaminius, in order that he might take
advantage of his weak side, which, according to Polybius, ought to be the
chief study of a general. He was told, that Flaminius was greatly
conceited of his own merit, bold, enterprising, rash, and fond of glory.
To plunge him the deeper into these excesses, to which he was naturally
prone,(760) he inflamed his impetuous spirit, by laying waste and burning
the whole country in his sight.

Flaminius was not of a temper to continue inactive in his camp, even if
Hannibal had lain still. But when he saw the territories of his allies
laid waste before his eyes, h